Unlike SeaWorld, Merlin’s corporate policy does not allow its parks to keep dolphins, whales and other large marine mammals. But Merlin does own 50 Sea Life aquariums, including one in Orlando, which exhibits include sharks, turtles and stingrays. Merlin’s Sea Life brand also focuses on conservation, just like SeaWorld.

Merlin Entertainments is the world’s second-largest theme park company by attendance, following Disney, according to the TEA/AECOM Theme Index.

Merlin currently has a market value of about $6.1 billion, while SeaWorld’s six theme parks and five water parks are valued at $1.3 billion.

SeaWorld also has received interest from other unidentified suitors, according to the Bloomberg report.

Following the report, SeaWorld’s stock spiked Wednesday to $16.04, a nearly 14 percent jump before settling at around $14.65.

About The Author

The youngest of seven children, Terry O. Roen followed two older brothers into journalism. Her career started as a reporter for the Orlando Sentinel, where she wrote stories on city and county government, schools, courts and religion. She has also reported for the Associated Press, where she covered the Casey Anthony and Trayvon Martin trials along with the Pulse massacre. Married to her husband, Hal, they have two children and live in Winter Park. A lifelong tourist in her own state, she writes about Central Florida’s growing tourism industry for Florida Politics and Orlando Rising.